JUDO
FEDERATION

Kazakhstani Judo championship will be carried out from November, 15 to November, 19 in Ust-Kamenogorsk. Alexandra Podryadova, performing in the weight class up to 48 kg, is considered to be one of the main favorites of the championship among women. Judoka from Shymkent tells about her readiness for the upcoming championship, names her direct opponent in the struggle for golden medal and shares her plans for the next year in the interview for or portal confederation.kz.

- Hello, Sasha! How is your spirit before Ust-Kamenogorsk?

- Hello! Despite the fact, I have been down with flu, my spirit is fighting as usual (smiling). I’m ready to go and win. There is one week before the championship starts – I train to the bitter end. I must bring the golden medal home by all means. Though tatami will show who is who. I have good opponents, I respect them all, and underestimate is out of question.

- Did you have time to recover physically after “silver” Grand-Prix in Almaty and Tashkent? Do the traumas continue to disturb?

- Though I had a little rest from the tatami, I continued to maintain my form. I did my common physical training, run crosses, worked with tourniquet. True, the knee has started to act up again, but it’s nothing – I can work.

- Who is your main opponent at the championship of Kazakhstan?

- This is Aygul Baikuleva. We always go on tournaments with her. But I can’t disregard the other girls. They all will be angry and trained. And there will obligatory be those whom we have not known before and have never seen them acting. Everybody always relies on us, the team-leaders, therefore there is a double psychological stress on our shoulders. And we must consider this seriously, because, in my opinion, there are no weak opponents at all. Why? The answer is simple: each of them goes to do the same thing – to win. In connection with this, when I go on the tatami, I try to spare nobody, even if I see a sportswoman fist in my life (smiling).

- But really, if you suddenly wouldn’t manage to take the golden medal, would you be disappointed a lot?

- I even don’t want to think about this. I must die but win this state championship, because we have the Asian Games next year. In addition, I take not bad position in the world rating (19’Th place – author’s note), I have to maintain it correspondingly, to gain the Olympics at a later date. No, I’m not going to give reason once more for the head coach of the team to have doubts about my candidature – if he should put me or not. Therefore, I have to take golden medal confidently, without some following questions to avoid such thoughts.

- Does women’s national team of Kazakhstan go to Ust-Kamenogorsk in full squad? Does somebody miss the state championship?

- I think, everybody will participate, because this is the official start – nobody will have pampering. Particularly, the squad was changed after the London Olympics. There appeared a lot of young talented women, they have something to prove.

- The first international club judo tournament (men’s group) took place recently in Astana. Our “TAK Astana Club” won this tournament, as it was expected. If another women’s team will be created in Kazakhstan, will it be interesting for you to become the part of this project?

- Of course, It will be interesting. I’m very glad for our men. I’m proud that the judo level is being increasingly developed in the state. And if there will be another women’s club, so I, definitely, will be ready to join. But for the present time there is nothing like that, and I’m glad for the victory of our guys.

- I have the last question, Sasha. Which definite tasks have you set for you for the next year?

- The tasks are the same which have been voiced in my previous interview. The Asian Games are on the first place. The second place is taken by the world championship in Chelyabinsk. I must show the high result at these competitions.

Our profile. Alexandra Podryadova (48 kg). National judo team of Kazakhstan

Date of birth: May, 11, 1989

Place of birth: Shymkent

Coach: Klobutskiy Yan Valerievich

Achievements: the bronze prize-winner of the world youth championship-2006 (Santo-Domingo, the Dominican Republic), the winner of the World Cup-2012 (Tashkent), the bronze prize-winner of the World Cup-2012 (Prague), the silver prize-winner of the World Grand-Prix-2013 (Almaty, Tashkent), the participant of London Olympics (2012) and the world championship in Brazil (2013).

Place in rating: 19’Th (the world rating), 16’Th (Olympic rating).